August 26, 2014

The EPA AQI loop, below left, shows areas of Moderate AQI along both coasts, with an
area of Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups in northern California persisting for most of the
day. There is also a swath of Moderate AQI stretching from the Great Lakes, down
through the Mississippi Valley states, and into the southern Plains.
The HMS fire and smoke product, below right, shows smoke in northern
California from fires in that region, which may be related to the nearby spot of
elevated AQIs, as well as a plume of smoke over most of central Canada, as
the smoky summer continues.

The NWS wind graphic, below left, shows little wind near the surface over the
continental U.S., so any areas of high ozone or aerosols will largely stay put until
they are mixed aloft or rained out. The sounding from Oakland, CA, shows an
inversion that would indicate that the aerosols are not likely to circulate out quickly,
tending to prolong any periods of raised AQIs in the region.